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  1. #1
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    Building of Jew and Jens paradise, Isaan

    Hi everybody. Have been on this Forum for some time, trying to read and learn through many of the good threads about construction, gardening etc.

    Since april last year we have been building a nice home in a tiny village, approx 75 km east of Udon Thani, 12 km south of highway 22 (at Ban Kho Tai) in the middle of no-where, ricefields and jungle. I am planning to post some of the pictures of the construction from the beginning and hope everything works.

    The construction has been following a scheme in general made by my missus with a few changes underway, as I was working in Denmark when everything started and the original drawings from me seems "not good enough" according to the missus who explained: "You are a big man! You need a big house!" - so it grew from my 90 sqm to a complete new design in the missus head and up to 157 sqm! But very nice in my opinion - not too typical anything and especially (I hope) not too "farang".

    I need a few more posts before I can post pictures but hopefully in a few days, maybe tomorrow I will have linked the first pictures!

    See you soon
    - mai pen rai cos TIT

  2. #2
    On a walkabout Loy Toy's Avatar
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    Looking forward to reading your thread mate and welcome to Teakdoor.

  3. #3
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    ^ Me too.
    These threads really interest me (especially with pics).
    Goodluck with the build and hope it matches your expectations.

  4. #4
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    ^^ me too some more encouragement for you to continue this posting on this thread lol

  5. #5
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    thx for nice comments - I will post pic.s as soon as my post reach the minimum! Everything ready and YES I like our paradise very much and cant wait to move in - I want to retire there.

    I know that many farangs hate the villages for many reasons, small annoying animals of many kinds, soi dogs, chicken, heat, humidity a s o, but I have fun observing the life and living in the village, love all the local people and kids passing by shouting: "Hello farang" etc.

    And yes, I hate the wake-up call from Pujai Baan in the Temple in the early morning, but its THEIR life - if thai.s can live with it, then I can too! (But still crazy).

  6. #6
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    ... and I should mention, that my experience is that Im the Boss in all matters - BUT the will/final word is the missus! Dont think I decide anything? Most suggestions from my part end up in a different way - but I know that my missus knows what she is doing and actually its fine with me! I love the place, outskirts of village, far back the ground for privacy - everything turns out perfectly in the end.

  7. #7
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    Been there still doing that

    Good Luck with your project, I have done one myself and am still finishing it off and do not have enough posts so no pictures allowed yet either. I don't even want to speculate what is the good daily rate where you are, I've had four workers doing skilled labor at 1000tb a day don't know if thats good or bad and frankly don't care, it was fine with me! Came out great and no complaints from me. Enjoy yoursef, retire and have fun!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by hawaiianbrian View Post
    Good Luck with your project, I have done one myself and am still finishing it off and do not have enough posts so no pictures allowed yet either. I don't even want to speculate what is the good daily rate where you are, I've had four workers doing skilled labor at 1000tb a day don't know if thats good or bad and frankly don't care, it was fine with me! Came out great and no complaints from me. Enjoy yoursef, retire and have fun!
    LOL - thumbs up for us (and appearantly many others!)

  9. #9
    anonymous ant
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    Quote Originally Posted by hawaiianbrian View Post
    what is the good daily rate where you are, I've had four workers doing skilled labor at 1000tb a day don't know if thats good or bad!
    normal rate if that's 1000baht for all four of them per day.
    if that rate is PER WORKER,then it's only about 4 times what the normal rate is for a "chang" in the villages, but if you are happy with that, then keep on at it.

    good luck!
    Last edited by tsicar; 11-05-2010 at 12:05 AM.
    brrrzzzzt, brrrzzzt!
    beep!. ting, ting
    redirecting, please be patient..........:

    hello, insect!
    brrrzzzt, brrrzzzt..................

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by hawaiianbrian View Post
    Good Luck with your project, I have done one myself and am still finishing it off and do not have enough posts so no pictures allowed yet either. I don't even want to speculate what is the good daily rate where you are, I've had four workers doing skilled labor at 1000tb a day don't know if thats good or bad and frankly don't care, it was fine with me! Came out great and no complaints from me. Enjoy yoursef, retire and have fun!
    please tell me that 1k bt is for all 4 workers. if so its a good price. if not your fucking it up for all farang. u will soon be depleted.

  11. #11
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    i look forward to se the pics of your project

  12. #12
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jks
    but I know that my missus knows what she is doing
    If she has previously built a house and dealt with contractors then she is experienced. If not, the result will be a house neither you or her will be satisfied with.

  13. #13
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    Good luck with the build and I look forward to following the construction.

    Your location is not too far away from Jan's house in Phi Boon Rak!

  14. #14
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    but its THEIR life - if thai.s can live with it, then I can too! (But still crazy).
    Visiting the village is quite different from Living there, I'm a tolerant sort of chap BUT living amongst rural Thai's would do my head in, not just the lack of westerner socializing but their annoying habits, parties biweekly, someones always dying, getting married or any excuse for a pissup that goes on till the morning.
    Fvck that ! I need my peace.
    Then there is the dogs, bloody mongels that screw your nights sleep up, Thai's buy a cute puppy, six months later they sick of them and then they become tick infected, flyblown and quite often rabid street dogs.
    I would never want to live in the city again so a western Village in a rural Thai setting but with western neighbors suits me.
    There can’t be good living where there is not good drinking

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jks
    but I know that my missus knows what she is doing
    If she has previously built a house and dealt with contractors then she is experienced. If not, the result will be a house neither you or her will be satisfied with.
    Dont worry Norton, years ago she built 2 large villas in Bangkok at shes a tuff one dealing with workers, contractors etc! If not happy she sacks them and I followed the construction for almost 5 months in the autumn - everything seems to be to both hers and my satisfaction. Even on a tight (but growing) budget it seems to be worth every baht! Salary for each of the four workers will be a total of 40.000 thb incl a bonus I promised them. While finishing the walls I discovered a few things that was not satisfying and told my missus that it was a shame, cos I would not give workers any bonus after that! In a nano second she quietly told the foreman about losing of bonus. Next day I stayed away from the construction site on purpose and when I arrived the following day everything was fixed and perfect

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by peterpan View Post
    but its THEIR life - if thai.s can live with it, then I can too! (But still crazy).
    Visiting the village is quite different from Living there, I'm a tolerant sort of chap BUT living amongst rural Thai's would do my head in, not just the lack of westerner socializing but their annoying habits, parties biweekly, someones always dying, getting married or any excuse for a pissup that goes on till the morning.
    Fvck that ! I need my peace.
    Then there is the dogs, bloody mongels that screw your nights sleep up, Thai's buy a cute puppy, six months later they sick of them and then they become tick infected, flyblown and quite often rabid street dogs.
    I would never want to live in the city again so a western Village in a rural Thai setting but with western neighbors suits me.
    LOL - yes living in the village can be such a bore sometimes! Until now we have been living at my sister-in-laws typical thai house in the centre of the village. We stayed in our bridal suite, which is the tiny room on the wodden 1. floor - just out to main intersection in the village. For six months we stayed in that room with no aircon, no chairs, no table, just 3 mattresses on the floor, just above the terrace so I think I have had my share of village noise, just outside. The construction site is at the other end of the village (actually the first house in the village, only neighbours at the other side of the street - on our side only the back wall of the village temple) and the house is drawn far back on the ground - there is much more quiet, the bedrooms is away from the village and the view from there is undisturbed, only jungle. At that end of the village there is almost no soi dogs cos that what I hate most. I dont mind living far away from westeners and happy with Leo Beer and Lao Khao - but look forward to visitors and fun parties

  17. #17
    Thailand Expat jandajoy's Avatar
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    Interesting thread JKS.

    I also live in a little village.

    What will you do in you spare time? Or rather, what will you do, day in day out?

    I'm not being critical but it is important. So I've found over the few years I've been here.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nelly View Post
    Good luck with the build and I look forward to following the construction.

    Your location is not too far away from Jan's house in Phi Boon Rak!
    Thanks! Phi Boon Rak? I dont know where that is, but I look it up later! If life in the village becomes too boring its good to know where to look for friends. My plan is to go visit the other farangs in the area, I know there is a swedish guy building a huge villa not too far away - but he is almost never there? Maybe on of those who build a big house for the missus but stayes in town him self?

  19. #19
    Thailand Expat jandajoy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jks
    If life in the village becomes too boring its good to know where to look for friends. My plan is to go visit the other farangs in the area,
    No disrespect, Mate, but that's worrying.

    Just 'cos they're Falang doesn't mean they're your mates.

    I thought the same for a while.

    "Ah, he speaks English, he must be my friend".

    Bullshit.

    I don't believe you can rely on your falang neighbors to be your friends.

    Of the half dozen falang I've met in my valley I now talk to one. and that's if he phones me first to say he's visiting.

    I used to go to town for a bit of a chat. Now, no.

    Go slow mate, Go slow.


  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by jandajoy View Post
    Interesting thread JKS.

    I also live in a little village.

    What will you do in you spare time? Or rather, what will you do, day in day out?

    I'm not being critical but it is important. So I've found over the few years I've been here.
    Hi Jandajoy - well not many like the village but I dont mind! Im fascinated by the smell from the jungle and the rice fields.

    When I return to the village we have to arrange for the garden, preparing for building a small fence around the ground and I think that I will be in charge of maintenance of the small fish pond outside the terrace and my western banana trees. Furthermore I have a book to finish writing on, travel describtions, taking photos, listening to music and just enjoy life. I use lots of time observing whats going on in village and because we have no internet yet I go internet shop in a neighbor village 6 km away every second day. Love the drive on the motosai through the dirtroad between the ricefields and the lunch we usely have at the street kitchen close to the highway.

    Many days I follow my missus out to my brother-in-law who takes care of our own ricefields and have lunch together with his family up in their pile hut in the middle of the fields.

    Other days I just walk around in the village, visit the local temples etc so I have no problems in enjoying the days.

    My plan is to go to the local primary school and check their level of education in english and prepare for donating needed things for the students. The english they teach is more than poor! So maybe I help voluntarely with a few lessons - who knows?

  21. #21
    Thailand Expat jandajoy's Avatar
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    Good on you. Good luck.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by jandajoy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jks
    If life in the village becomes too boring its good to know where to look for friends. My plan is to go visit the other farangs in the area,
    No disrespect, Mate, but that's worrying.

    Just 'cos they're Falang doesn't mean they're your mates.

    I thought the same for a while.

    "Ah, he speaks English, he must be my friend".

    Bullshit.

    I don't believe you can rely on your falang neighbors to be your friends.

    Of the half dozen falang I've met in my valley I now talk to one. and that's if he phones me first to say he's visiting.

    I used to go to town for a bit of a chat. Now, no.

    Go slow mate, Go slow.

    LOL thanks - I am aware of that and surely I will go slowly, I promise not just go to knock on the door without any notice! But my missus will "check the ground" first - she knows everybody and listen to all stories in the villages about other farangs! I have all the time in the world but would be nice if it was possible to find a place a few times for a chat and a beer with another farang!

  23. #23
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    This is the ground for construction
    Last edited by jks; 11-05-2010 at 09:00 PM. Reason: Here we go

  24. #24
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    Here we go


    Have to figure out a smart way of posting more than one at a time



    Preparing for a little ceremoni before building - my missus in the middle, sister-in-law watching

    The first 2 piles - acc to thai.s the most importent ones, never to get drilled in etc


    Half the village helps with the hard work! Good people!
    Last edited by jks; 11-05-2010 at 09:13 PM.

  25. #25
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    nice pics a green is sent

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